Final Fantasy VI: Bonds of the Lost
by Clydes Shadow
Summary: Taking place years after the defeat of Kefka, Relm is a teenager now and her grandfather Strago attempts to bring her closer to Shadow...her father.


_**FINAL FANTASY VI: BONDS OF THE LOST**_

**_Chapter 1_**

It was another sunny day in the town of Thamasa. The townsfolk were up and about preparing for another usual day. Children were laughing and playing in the town, while the adults opened their shops for business. Five years had past since the defeat of Kefka, and peace had reigned supreme since then. Another young lady was getting ready for day as well. She walked down stairs, and was greeted by her grandfather.

"Well good morning Relm! Did you sleep well?" Strago asked, as he smiled at his grand daughter

"Good morning Grandpa! Yes I did sleep well!" Relm said with a smile.

Relm was now 16 years old. She had grown from the "loud mouth, immature child" (as others would sometimes say), into a beautiful young lady. She was still a teenager, and had her "moments" like any young adult. Who would ever have thought the 11 year old version of herself was one of the heroes who fought Kefka? She went to grab an apple from the table, and kissed Strago on the cheek.

"I'll be back before dinner Grandpa!"

"Going fishing again, are you?"

Relm got to the front door, grabbed the fishing rod, and slipped her shoes on. She turned back to Strago, and grinned.

"Tonight Gramps we dine like royalty! I'm catching the big one!"

Strago's eyes almost jumped out of his head at this declaration. He knew the fish Relm was referring to. It was said to be an urban legend by some of the towns folks, but both he and Relm saw it with their own eyes.

"Perhaps I should go with you...let me get my things."

"No Grandpa! You should stay and rest! You're not as spry as you used to be. Besides, I have a reason for doing this."

Strago stopped for a moment, and thought about her words. After a minute, it finally snapped to him. In two more days, they were to celebrate an annual occasion.

"I understand Relm...well promise me you will be careful."

"I will Gramps! Love ya!" Relm winked as she rushed out the door.

Strago watched as the door closed behind her, and looked over at the wall. The portrait of Relm's mother hanged on the wall next to the stairs. He smiled as memories of his daughter filled his mind. It had been 13 years since she passed away. There were many things he wanted to tell Relm about her, but felt it should come from somebody else. Strago grabbed his cloak, and left their house. He knew where he was going, and knew who he needed to see.

Relm made it to the coast at the edge of town. The towns folk had built a port there within the last few years. After the war against Kefka, the world let go of it's grudge against Thamasa, and the fact that they descended from those who fought in the War of the Magi. Frequent trade flowed through Thamasa, which expanded the overall commerce of the town. More people moved into Thamasa, which brought some interesting people, and new friends.

"RELM! THERE YOU ARE!"

Relm looked towards the pier, and saw her two friends waiting for her. Harla waved her over with a huge smile on her face. Relm ran up and hugged her blue haired friend. The two girls had not seen each other since Relm's birthday a month ago. Relm and Harla walked over to the edge of pier and sat down next to their other friend who already had his fishing line in the water.

"Hello Wes! I see you started without me!" Relm teased as she nudged her friend with her elbow.

"Why good morning Relm! I just wanted to say thank you for coming at the exact time we planned on!"

"HAHAHA! You're a jerk Wes! Okay, I am SOOO sorry for being ten minutes late!"

"It was actually thirteen minutes according to my pocket watch, but since you apologized, I guess you can be forgiven..."

"You know you can never be mad at her Wes! She might beat you up again!" Harla laughed.

The three friends all shared a laugh together. Relm met the two of them over a year ago when they moved to Thamasa. Harla and Wes are cousins, who are staying with their Uncle that runs the Inn. They met by accident when Wes knocked over Relm in the middle of town. Relm responded by throwing rocks at him, eventually knocking him unconscious. From that day on they were the best of friends, and were inseparable.

"You birthday was fun last month Relm, especially when that werid Ninja showed up. Who did you say he was again?" Harla asked.

"His name is Shadow, he helped us with the battle against Kefka."

"That's right...what a weird cryptic name he has. That dog he has is scary though."

"Interceptor is the sweetest ever!" Relm argued.

"Indeed he is...in a vicious beast sort of way." Wes said as he pushed his glasses upwards

Relm looked at him with an irritated look on her face. She knows his eyesight is perfect, and doesn't understand why he continues to wear them. She rolled her eyes as she felt a sharp tug on her fishing line.

"GUYS!"

Both Wes and Harla grabbed Relm to help keep her balanced. Relm stood up, and pulled harder on the rod. Her two friends stood with her, making sure she didn't fall into the water. An endless battle with the fishing pool was commencing, as the head of the fish poked up from the water.

"RELM DO YOU THINK IT'S HIM?!" Harla yelled.

"I DON'T KNOW! IT COULD BE!" Relm yelled back.

"Why are you both yelling, you'll just use up all your energy doing that and..."

"JUST SHUT UP AND PULL WES!" Harla interrupted.

The three pulled with all their might hoping to prove this mystery as fact. Before it seemed like an endless struggle, they all gave one last tug and the monster came flying over each of them. Relm flew back, along with Harla, while Wes ended up falling forward into the water. The struggle ended and everything went silent, as the Thamasa Monster Fish was proven true.

The birds chirped their usual song, as the sunlight peered through the window. He rolled over to shield his eyes from the brightness. His hand hung over the side of the bed, and brushed over the beast on the floor.

BARK BARK!

"Good Morning Interceptor. How did you sleep?"

BARK!

Shadow sat up in his bed, and looked around the room. Another day had come for the former Assassin. In this time of peace, there was no need for a man of his particular skill set. He rose got out of his bed, and looked for some breakfast. He had some left over rabbit stew for him and Interceptor, so he fired up the furnace in preparation of their meal. He went outside to pull fresh water from the well he made. He came back in and started preparing lunch for he and his loyal companion. Some time later, he sat down with Interceptor to begin their meal.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

Interceptor looked towards the door of their tiny shack, and hurried to the door. He growled at first before sniffing underneath the door. He looked back at Shadow and barked. Shadow quickly grabbed his hood, as he knew it was somebody Interceptor knew...meaning he knew them as well. He went to door, and cracked it just enough to see who it was.

"Well now, aren't you a sight for old eyes!"

"Strago..."

Strago lifted a basket, which contained 2 goblets and 2 bottles of Thamasa Whiskey. He smiled to the Ninja, and Shadow felt inclined to let him in. Shadow went to set another plate for his uninvited guest, and Strago filled each of the goblets with the Whiskey. They sat across from each other in silence. Interceptor happily gobbled his food down, and barked in approval towards Shadow. Strago couldn't take the silence much longer, when he finally spoke up.

"So, I see you've taken up planting your own crops eh? I didn't know you could cook like this either. Very tasty indeed."

Shadow sat in silence eating his stew. He had an idea for Strago's visit, but waited to hear the words for himself. He began to zone out as Strago rambled his usual stories. He thought about the events of the past 5 years. At the last minute, he and Interceptor made it onto the Falcon as Kefka's Tower crumbled to the ground. He was ready for Fate to claim his life, but something pulled him from that mindset. He was no longer running from the ghost of Baram, for defeating Kefka, seemed to have helped in defeating that demon. There was indeed another skeleton in his closet, that needed to be put to rest. He noticed the rambling stopped, and looked up to see Strago knocking back the Whiskey.

"You know...there isn't any need for that thing any longer." Strago pointed to Shadow's face shrouded mask.

Shadow clinched his fist at the sound of those words. He felt that Strago had no right to tell him such a thing. Shadow looked up at the old man across the table from him, and his anger began to rise.

"The war is over, peace reigns supreme now...and your name..."

"Don't say it old man!"

"Clyde...isn't it time you stopped hiding behind a mask?"

"Why? There isn't anyone who needs to know." Shadow got up from the table and looked outside the window.

"Not even Relm...not even your own daughter Clyde! After all these years, you can't bring yourself to show tell her who you are? I think she has a right to know! She's 16 years old now! If not now, then when will she know?!" Strago got up taking another drink from the Whiskey bottle.

Shadow turned to see Strago was serious about this request. He saw the intensity that shinned in the old man's eyes was very strong. Strago took another swig from the bottle before sitting down.

"Was this your plan old man? To come and drink your way into intimidating me? Besides, was I not there for her birthday last month? I brought her a present..."

Strago flipped the table over, almost landing on Interceptor. The old mage was furious at Shadow's lack of emotion towards Relm. He stood up, taking yet another swig from the bottle and shouted at Shadow.

"YOU ARE A DAMN FOOL CLYDE! You were "there" for her birthday, but I don't think knocking on the door, and shoving a present in her face is the same as celebrating with her! Do you know what that child has been through all these years?! Did you know how it was telling a 3 year old that her daddy wasn't coming back?! She had just lost her mother, and then her father just POOF vanished one day from her life! I raised her by myself after Lynna died! And you?! Where the hell were you?! Oh sure you were there 5 years ago when the lot of us challenged that Tyrant and saved the world. However, you shrouded yourself in darkness and hid under a mask! When we all could have died in that battle, you could have at least took her aside and tell her the truth! YOU COWARD! "

SMASH!

Strago threw the bottle of Whiskey on the ground and fell back in his chair. Shadow was fed up with this old man, and decided enough was enough. He took off his mask, and threw it at Strago.

"There, now can you see me?! You want to know why I left old man?! I left to kill those who killed your daughter! Those bastards that poisoned her and half of Thamasa, I went and slaughtered them all! They were chasing me and Baram when we were the Shadow Bandits, and I decided to put an end to them! I thought I had finally found some peace in this back water miserable excuse of a town! Lynna was the only one to ever fully understand me as a person. She had accepted me for everything I was, including the skeletons that followed close behind. When they took her from me, I lost the last part of myself! I held her in my arms as the poison slowly drained her life away. Clyde died that day Strago! He was no more, and that's when I dawned the mask. Why did I leave Relm with you? I was in no position to raise a child! She wouldn't be the girl she is today, if I didn't leave her."

Strago threw Shadow's mask back at him, and struggled to pull himself up from the chair.

"You're a selfish bastard! I lost a daughter and you left Relm so you could wallow in your self pity! What did slaughtering those men accomplish? Nothing! I didn't bring my daughter back, and Relm grew up without her parents in her life! I thank fate that I was allowed to stay alive this long in order to raise her. You're right, Relm is better off without knowing you!"

Strago had nothing more to say at this point, he staggered towards the door and opened it. He turned to Shadow to tell him one last thing.

"I'm sure you know what's in two days...and I think you should know that Relm remembers every year! I would hope you come pay your respects!"

Strago slammed the door behind him, leaving Shadow standing in anger. When the anger subsided, he thought about his final statement. In two days it was the anniversary of Lynna's death. Shadow looked over at Interceptor, who had a small pouch in his mouth. It was also in the basket with the Whiskey, but Shadow paid no mind to it. Upon examining it further, he saw it was The Memento Ring that Lynna had made for he and Relm. Shadow held the ring in his hand, and clinched the mask in the other.


End file.
